THE ICE HEARTED WATCH
by OokamiLover19
Summary: Taniqua Reynolds, an American Foreign Exchange student, is staying with the Kurosaki home while she is going to a private school. She has a deal with her father but as soon as her life is held at the tip of a blade, she focuses more on the hidden. What happens when Toshiro Hitsugaya comes to protect her?
1. Chapter 1

I was sitting at a table in the food courts supposed to be studying since it was Saturday and I had exams next week, but on top of my textbooks, I was reading '_Blood Moon'_ from the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton. I was in the middle of where Anita was reading the grave mound when something sharp slid across the front of my neck and I saw white clad arms come into view behind me. My neck burned as if I got a giant paper cut but in that moment that I felt the cold steel against my neck, I was in trouble and I wasn't sure how I even got into it.

My eyes darted around the food court hoping to get help but no one even blinked and turned my way. I guess people were too busy on their Saturday mornings to even pay attention to a Foreign Exchange high school student. Or it was one of those beings that no one could see but for some reason I could see them clearly.

"I know you can see me human. Make a sound and I could make it look like you killed yourself in public," the being hissed behind me, proving that it was a male. "No one can help you so do as I say and you won't die by my hands."

"Why me?" I whispered as I lowered my book and closed it after putting in my bookmark.

"The power radiating from your soul is amazing and I can taste without even devouring your soul. You are coming with me or you die. Pack your things and get up."

I was going to protest when I felt him press his blade against my neck slightly harder before it disappeared. I slid my books into my bag and got up from the table and put my bag on my back before turning around to look at the one threatening me. He had a hole in the center of his chest where his heart should have been and the left half of his face was covered by a white mask of sorts. His hair was to his shoulders and the color of a rose. He sneered at me and blinked at him twice before spinning around and running away from him.

"Hey!" the weird man snapped after me.

I bolted past people, getting complaints from some of them as I ran into them. I muttered apologies as I ran, but didn't slow down. I had seen some weird things out there and always thought that I was crazy, until I had seen someone I knew kill some of the creatures I had seen. The orange-haired boy that I stayed with while I continued the Foreign Exchange program somehow carried a giant sword around and killed monsters that were four times his size. These creatures were like that man, a hole on their body and a white mask that covered their faces. I pulled my headphones out and put them in as I dialed Ichigo's number on my iPhone.

"Hello?" the orange-haired boy's voice came through the phone and I gave a relieved smile as I pushed past a couple. "Hello?"

"Ichigo, I'm in trouble," I gasped as I finally got onto the main road.

"What did you do Taniqua?

"Nothing! This man appeared behind me with a blade to my throat. No one else could see him. I don't know why but I can see things…"

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"This man chasing me is like those creatures you have killed, white masks and holes in their chests."

"Did he say what he wanted?"

"He said that the power of my soul was amazing and he could taste it without devouring it. He told me to come with him or he'd kill me. What did he mean?"

"Where are you?"

"Running for my life, damn it," I growled. "I'm almost to the subway…"

"No, stay on the crowded roads, it will make it harder for him to catch you. Don't stop running Taniqua. That man is an Arancar; they feed off people's souls. Keep heading towards the Kurosaki Clinic, but don't stop running for anything."

"That is over 15 miles away!"

"I know but trust me Taniqua; you don't want him to catch you. Rukia and I are on our way. I'll call my friend Ishida since he's closer. Lose any weight you can like bags…"

"Like hell I'm going to leave my laptop on some crowded street in Japan!"

"Then stop complaining and focus on running. We'll be there as soon as we can."

Then the call ended.

"You can't run forever!" I heard the Arancar laugh manically.

_'Just ignore him and keep going,' _I thought to myself as I tightened the straps on my bag so the weight wasn't being thrown around as much.

"I will have you soon enough!"

_'Tune him out.'_ I thought and turned on my music and blared '30 Seconds to Mars' as I ran past the entrance to the subway.

* * *

The sound of a phone vibrating on the nightstand disrupted the quiet as the spectacled boy worked on his school work. He looked over at his phone that was across the room and sighed as he got to his feet.

"Hello?" the spectacled boy answered as he pushed his glasses back up into place.

"Ishida, Taniqua needs help," Ishida heard Ichigo force out, his breathing irregular as if he was running.

"That Foreign exchange student your family is housing? What happened?"

"An Arancar is after her, he is after her soul."

"Why are you calling me?"

"You are closer to where she is at. I told her to keep on the main street and head south towards Karakura. She is headed your way, please help."

"Alright, but hurry your lazy ass over here," Ishida sighed as he pulled on a jacket. He hung up and slid his shoes on and left as he slid his phone into his pocket.

He walked down to the street and looked around. He saw the unmistakable black and purple streaked hair of the American girl that blew past her as she ran. She had headphones in and Ishida saw the Arancar far behind her with a large grin on his face. The girl tripped as she tried to push past a tall man and fell to the ground about 30 feet from Ishida. The Quincy ran towards her and heard her raspy breathing. He touched her shoulder and she screamed as she jerked back.

"Calm down, I won't hurt you," Ishida spoke, pulling her headphones out so she could hear him. "Ichigo called me."

The girl looked up at him; her frightened eyes the color of blue ice, a color that Ishida hadn't seen since he saw Hitsugaya's shikai. He helped her stand up and saw deep cuts on her hands and her pale blue jeans were ripped at the knee and blood was already soaking through the denim. Her short sleeved amethyst top had ridden up a little from her backpack and running and she jerked it back down.

"Are you okay?" Ishida asked her, making sure to keep his eye on the Arancar as they started walking away from him.

"What's going on? Why is he after me?" her voice quavered as tears slid down her cheeks.

"I don't know but I'm here to protect you. Let's get out of here," he said as he helped the limping girl onto his back and started running. "Ichigo will meet us as soon as he can."

Ishida felt Taniqua keep turning slightly and knew she was looking behind at the Arancar that followed, as well as the many people who looked at them weird as he carried her on his back. Ishida took a turn down a small street that let out at a park field that was the best shortcut to Karakura. As soon as they were in the field, they both could see the unmistakable orange hair of Ichigo and Rukia next to him.

"Ichigo, you slow idiot," Ishida snapped as they reached each other.

"There were two hollows on the other side of Karakura," Rukia spoke as they came to a stop. "Taniqua, are you okay?"

"Still freaked out, why the fuck is he still following?!" Taniqua demanded as she turned her head to look at the Arancar that entered the field.

"Ichigo," Rukia spoke as she drew her blade and he did the same as they ran past Ishida and Taniqua. "Get her to Isshin!"

"I can walk, you know," Taniqua muttered annoyed but didn't try getting off.

"You are injured, no matter how much you say otherwise. You jeans are soaked below the knee in blood and your hands are not much better considering the blood on my shirt."

"Sorry…"

"Not your fault, Miss Reynolds. Don't worry now, you're safe. Ichigo and Rukia will take care of the Arancar."

"'Kay," Taniqua sighed quietly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, really lightheaded and tired."

"Don't go to sleep Miss Reynolds, you can't…" Ishada felt the girl on his back go limp. "Miss Reynolds? Taniqua?"

When he got no reply, he hurried his pace towards the Kurosaki Clinic.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own anything from Bleach.

Please Read and Review

* * *

Ice blue eyes opened to the sound of someone swearing, signaling that Ichigo probably tripped on the stairs again because of the cat they got not too long ago. Taniqua sat up and groaned as pain shot through her arms and legs. She slid off the bed and frowned, realizing her favorite jeans had been cut to mid-thigh and her legs were bandaged as well as her hands. Taniqua limped out of the room and down the stairs where she saw Isshin, Chad, Ishida, and Orihime sitting in the living room while Ichigo was sprawled out at the bottom of the stairs and the cat sitting next to him.

"How long was I out?" Taniqua asked, as she stepped over the unconscious orange head and entered the living room.

"It is Sunday, now and dinner is in a few hours," Issin replied as Taniqua sank down on the couch. "How are you feeling?"

"My body is screaming at me, but I'm alive," Taniqua replied, then narrowed her eyes. "Now, somebody tell me what the fuck happened yesterday! What are you people and what are those giant creatures you guys tend to fight and that thing that was chasing me?!"

Everybody flinched at the American's language, but knew that they had to answer her questions.

"This may take a while to explain," Isshin spoke as Yuzu came in with a tray of tea then left again. "In order to understand those creatures, you need to know about Soul Society…"

For the next few hours, Isshin, and the others talked about Soul Society, Gotei 13, Shinigami, Pluses, Hollows, Arancar and many other things. By the end of all of it, Taniqua's head hurt and she felt slightly hungry. It was around dinner time by the time they finished explaining everything.

"So Ichigo, Rukia, and Isshin are Shinigami, Ishida is a Quincy, while Orihime and Chad got their abilities from the extra energy that Ichigo just let off because he can't control it. That just sounds ridiculous," Taniqua laughed.

"You laugh even after almost being kidnapped," Ichigo frowned.

"Any normal person hearing this would have thought you all crazy! I still think you're crazy but guess I am too if I can see these things like Shinigami, hollows, and all that. How is it that I've been able to see them the past 10 years since I was four?"

"It's just a gift to some people," Isshin replied. "There are a few out there though who can see them but ignore it all, trying to convince themselves they aren't crazy."

"What did I get myself into by joining the Foreign exchange program?" Taniqua muttered but instead of an answer, her stomach growled loudly.

"Yuzu, are you making dinner tonight?" Ichigo asked as his youngest sister came into the living room.

"Only if you stop your complaining and do the dishes tonight " the light brown haired girl smirked as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Fine," Ichigo huffed and Yuzu smiled before disappearing into the kitchen to start cooking. "Taniqua how are your injuries?"

"They sting, but I'm fine," she shrugged. "Who destroyed my favorite jeans?"

"I did," Karin spoke as she entered the room. "They are still wearable as shorts. Dad would have cut them completely off if I hadn't been home when Ishida brought you."

"Oh... thanks, I guess."

Half hour later, dinner was done and everyone sat in the dining room eating, except Taniqua who took her food and climbed up ot the roof and sat on her favorite section of the roof and leaned against the chimney stack. she picked at her food, eating only to silence her stomach while she stared up at the full moon.

_"Papa, why should I join the exchange program?" Taniqua asked her father as the end of her junior year in high school came near._

_"They will pay everything for you with your grades and with the major you want to go into, Foreign Mythology, Japan would be the perfect place," her father spoke as he went over his work. "I'll give you a deal, if you finish a semester in Japan with perfect grades, I'll transfer all your money into your account so you have it all."_

_"Alright," Taniqua smirked, knowing that as soon as she finished this deal, she would never have to ask her father for anything again._

"Taniqua, are you alright?" She looked over and saw Ichigo walking towards her.

"It's a lot to take in. Who knows that doing the Foreign Exchange program for a deal with my father, that I would learn so many things that I could one day use for when I get to college," Taniqua muttered. "Why did your family accept me here when you have so many secrets?"

"Karin asked father if he would do it. She wanted an older sister figure around the house. She begged him until he agreed then the agency mailed us your file and Karin became ecstatic," Ichigo replied as he sat next to her. "I guess that you coming to our family was good for you so you didn't think you were completely crazy."

"I guess... Would I ever get to see this Soul Society you guys mentioned?"

"It's possible but most only see it after death. Most shinigami were either people here who died and when they went their they got their Reiyoku, then there are small chances that some where born there. We were lucky when we went to save Rukia."

"I see," Taniqua spoke quietly as she looked out at the Karakura town.

"Do you come up here a lot?"

"Yeah, it helps keep my stress levels down. Why am I at a different school than you?"

"It was your father and the school that made the decision to have you go to the private academy, otherwise you would have come to the main high school.

Taniqua stood up and brushed herself off before going to the edge of the roof and climbed down to the hallway window and slid inside. Ichigo followed right behind her until she walked into her room and locked the door. Ichigo sighed and walked back downstairs an saw Ishida, Orihime, and Chad getting ready to go.

"Should we have someone watch over Taniqua after that incident on Saturday?" Orihime asked timidly. "I mean what if she gets attacked again?"

"It's a good idea, but who will have time to do that? We all have school and I have my shinigami duties," Ichigo replied.

"I could get a letter to Byakuya," Rukia offered.

"No, he isn't a good choice to mention this to. Yeah Soul Society has a right to know that we caught an Arrancar wanting to prey on a human but he is now dead so why bother with him?"

"What about Matsumoto?" Orihime asked.

"Having her would be a better choice than having Byakuya sending Renji who wouldn't be of any help at all. Ill send a letter to Captain Hitsugaya and ask him to send Rangiku," Rukia smirked. "That hothead is as lazy as they come."

"True, but he does have his moments..."

"Very very few moments," Ichigo snorted.

"Anyway, we should probably be on our way," Ishida spoke up. "I wasn't able to finish my homework due to the situation yesterday. I must finish it before I go to bed tonight."

"Oh I completely forgot about homework!" Orihime became frantic before running out of the house. "See you tomorrow!"

"She is one of a kind," Rukia smiled.

"I'll be going," Chad spoke before leaving.

"See ya at school tomorrow Uryuu," Ichigo nodded and the spectacled boy nodded before leaving.

"Well kiddos, off to bed," Isshin spoke as he stretched his arms above his head and yawned. Karin and Yuzu immediately headed upstairs while Ichigo and Rukia went slower. Rukia now had a room of her own when Isshin found out she had been sleeping in Ichigo's closet. "Night everyone."

Calls of 'night dad' and one 'night Mr. Kurosaki' came down the stairs as Isshin turned off the lights and meandered off to his bed.


End file.
